Concrete pouring bucket



April 29, 1958 Filed Sept. 22,- 1954 G. G.' MORIN CONCRETE POURINGBUCKET 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR 6 50345 6. MOB/N BY M68744 ATTORN EYSApril 29, 1958 G. G. MORIN 2,832,631

CONCRETE POURING BUCKET Filed Sept. 22, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 7 h/QA/I\7I;NTOR GEORGE 6. Mom/v BY Mi M AT TO RN EYS CONCRETE PQURING BUCKETGeorge G. Morin, West Springfield, Mass.

Application September 22, 1954, Serial No. 457,748

6 Claims. (Cl. 294-71) This invention relates to an improvement in cranecarried buckets for pouring concrete into forms.

One object of the invention is to provide a bucket which dischargesdownwardly, and which is power opened and closed.

A further object is to provide a bucket of the above character in whichthe parts are so arranged and adjusted that the positioning of thebucket for the discharge of its contents may be controlled by the craneoperator Without the assistance of workers at the point of discharge orat least with a minimum of such assistance.

This includes the provision of means by which the power for opening andclosing the bucket is applied through the hoist lines and the quantityof material discharged from the bucket is completely under the controlof the operator of the crane to the hoist lines of which the bucket isattached and also the provision of means which provides for a precisedirectional and lineally dispersive discharge of the concrete from thebucket.

With the buckets presently in use it is necessary to provide workers atthe point of discharge of the bucket to orient the bucket to assure aproper directional discharge of the contents and to maintain itsposition and orientation during the discharge as well as to control theamount discharged in one location. The necessary presence of theseworkers requires the erection of staging or platforms adjacent the formsfrom which they can operate.

Other and further objects residing in the details of construction andoperation will be made apparent from the disclosure of the accompanyingdrawings and the follow ing specification and claims.

In the accompanying drawings,

Fig. 1 is an elevational view, parts being broken away and in section,of a pouring bucket embodying the invention, the parts being shown inbucket discharging position;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view substantially on line 2-2 of r Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a detail view of the discharge spout of the bucket, lookingfrom the right of Fig. 1, parts being shown in section;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 1, but showing the 1 parts in closedposition;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. l, but showing an alternativeconstruction;

Fig. 6 is a detail view of the means connecting the bucket to the liftlines, looking from the right of Fig. 5, parts being shown in section;

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 5, but showing the parts in bucketclosing position; and

Figs. 8 and 9 are diagrammatic views showing the manner in which theinvention may be incorporated in one form of conventional bucket.

Referring to the drawings, the bucket, generally indicated at 10 isshown as comprising a cylindrical member 11, the upper portion of whichforms the side walls 12 of the bucket body and a conical member 13having its upper periphery welded or otherwise secured adjacent2,832,631 Patented Apr. 29, 1958 the lower edge of the side wall portion12. Below the portion 12 the cylindrical member 11 is cut away as at 14to provide a frame structure, generally indicated at 15. The conicalmember 13 terminates in a cylindrical spout 16 around which a flangedring 17 is welded or otherwise secured. A transverse bar 18 is fixedacross the upper end of member 11. Bolted to member 18 are spacedupwardly directed sheave plates 19 between which a grooved wheel 20 isrotatably pivotally mounted. Wheel 20 carries a pin 21 extending beyondthe side surfaces of the wheel and outwardly of sheave plates 19. Theouter ends of pins 21 are connected by links 22 to the ends of a pin 23extending through the upper end of a rod 24. Rod 24 is slida-bly mountedin a hub 25 of a spider 26, the outer ends of the arms of the spiderbeing welded or otherwise secured to the wall member 12. A pair of valvemembers 28 are respectively hinged on rods 29 supported by lugs 30 (Fig.3) fixed to the underside of flanged member 17. The adjacent edgeportions of valve members 28 are connected by respective links 31 to thelower end of rod 24. Rod 24 is provided with a fixed collar 32, and aspring 33, surrounding rod 24., is adapted to vbe compressed betweencollar 32 and hub 25 and act to force rod 24 downwardly under conditionslater described.

In Fig. 1 the valve members 28 are shown, swung downwardly away from thedischarge end of spout 16 to open the bucket. When the parts arepositioned as shown in Fig. 1 the ends of pin 21 engage shoulders 35formed on the upper edge of sheave plates 19. The crane lines or cables36 and 37 of a lifting crane, not shown, are fixed in any suitablemanner, as by key Wedge 38, to the periphery of the wheel 20. Cranes ofthe type with which the bucket of this invention is adapted to be usedare equipped; with respective independent power driven drums, withbrakes for each, about which the lines 36 and 37 are. respectivelywound. In the position shown in Fig. 1 equal tension on the liftingcables or, preferably, an excess of tension on cable 36, as indicated bythe arrow in the latter figure, maintains pin 21 against the shoulders35 and the valve 28 in open position, permitting discharge of thebucket. To swing the valve members to the, closed position of Fig. 4 itis only necessary to slacken cable 36 imposing an excess tension oncable 37, as shown by the arrow in Fig. 4, to cause rotation of wheel 20to position pin 21 in a seat 39 formed in the sheave plates 19, thuslifting rod 24 and swinging the valve members 28 to the bucket closingposition shown in Fig. 4. When pin 21 is in seat 39 links 22 have beencarried past the center of wheel 29 and spring 33 is compressed betweenhub 25 and collar 32, holding pin 21 on seat 39, thus locking the bucketclosed until an excess of tension is again imposed on cable 36 toovercome spring 33 and rotate pin 21 into engagement with shoulder 35 tore-open the bucket. The slight downward movement of pin 21 ineffectively engaging in seat 39. is soslight that no objectionableopening of the valve members results.

Rotatably mounted on a shoulder or flange 40 formed on the outerperiphery of flange member 17 is a supporting member, generallyindicated at 41, and, as best shown in Fig. 2, formed by two plates 42and 43. The adjacent edges of plates 42 and 43 are cut away to freelysurround the spout 16 and adjacent lower portion of conical member 13.The side edges of plates 42 and 43 are provided with aligned bores 44through which extend rods 45. The outer ends of rods 45 also extendthrough depending plates 46, the plates 46 being held to the adjacentplates 43 and 44 and the latter held in an abutting position by nuts 47threaded on the ends of rods 45.

Each plate 46 carries adjacent its lower edge spaced lugs 50 supportinghinge pins 51 upon which are pivoted ,handmanipulation in properlydirecting the discharge from the bucket- The lower edges of baffles .52carry rods 53 which extend outwardly beyond the ends of the .bafiles andthrough slots 54 formed in strap members 55. The outer ends of rods 53are threaded to receive nuts 56 by which'the rods may be clamped inadjusted position in the slots 54 to vary the transverse width of j thedischarge opening between the bafiies 52 and therefore the transversethickness or width of the linear discharge of concrete from between thebafiles.

As will be apparent the angular relation of the open- 1 ing between thebaffie plates to the axis of the opening through spout 16 may beadjusted by rotation of the supporting structure 41 on shoulder 40 offlange 17. The supporting structure 41 may be held in angularly adjustedposition by one or more set screws as 57 engaging flange 67. The conicalmember 13 is provided with one or more sockets 58 for receiving a powerdriven vibrator to assure a free flow of the concrete and to maintainthe walls of the bucket free of adhering concrete.

In Figs. 5, 6 and 7 an alternative form of bucket operating connectionbetween the crane lift lines 36 and 37 and the. bucket is shown. In thearrangement of the latter figures diametrically opposed brackets 60 aresecured, as by bolts 61 or other suitable means, to the upper edgeportion of wall member 12. A transverse shaft 62 is rotatably mounted atits ends in the brackets 60. Shaft 62 is held in this bracket by collars63 secured thereto outwardly of the brackets by set screws 64. A bellcrank member 65 is fixed to shaft 62 as by a set screw 66. One arm 67 ofthe bell crank is connected to line 36 by a clevis 68, the other arm 69of the bell crank being connected to line 37 by a clevis .70.

A pair of links 71 are pivotally connected at one end to the bell crank65, as by a pin 73, intermediate the end of arm 67 and shaft 62. Theother end of links 71 are pivotally connected by a pin 74 to the upperend of rod 24 which operates the bucket valve, previously described. Thelinks 71 are recessed at 75 so that pin 73 may pass over the center ofshaft 62 and rod 24, when the weight of the bucket and its contents istransferred from line 37 to 36, causing bell crank 65 to rotate to theposition of Fig. 7, to draw rod 24 upwardly and close the bucket valve.When the parts are in the position of Fig. 7, spring 33 is compressed aspreviously described and pin 73 having passed dead center the valve isheld closed by the spring until the weight is again shifted to line 37to swing the bell crank back to the position of Fig. 5. This arrangementhas the advantage over that of Figs. 1 to 4 that the lifting force inboth the open and closed position of the valve is along the verticalaxis of the bucket.

In Fig. 8 is diagrammatically shown the closure valve of a conventionalhand operated concrete pouring bucket, the valve comprising two U-shapedgate members 80 having pivot pins 81 by which the members 80 are pivotedto the spout, not shown, of the bucket. A U- shaped handle 82 is pivotedadjacent its ends to the bucket body, indicated at 83 in Fig. 9, bypivot bolts 84; and links 85 are connected at one end to members 80 byswivels 86 and pivotally connected at the other end to the ends ofhandle 82 as at 87. As will be obvious the application of downwardpressure on handle 82 will open gate members 80 while upward pressurecloses it.

The power opening and closing means of Fig. may be substituted for thehand closing means just described in the manner shown in Fig. 9. Asthere shown a shaft 88 equivalent in structure and function to shaft 62is mounted in brackets 89 welded to the upper rim of the bucket 83. Abell crank 90 similar to bell crank 65 is fixed to shaft 88 and isprovided at the ends of its arms with openings 91 and 92 for attachmentof lift lines such as 36 and 37 previously described. Lever arms 93 aresecured to shaft 88 outwardly of brackets 89, the free end of each arm93 being connected by respective links 94 to the adjacent arm of thehandle 82 at points 95 on the opposite side of pivots 84 from thepivotal connections 87. If the conversion from manual to power operationis to be permanent the hand engaging portion 96 may be cut away as at97. As will be apparent with the lifting load applied to bell crank 90through a line connected at 91, in the position shown in Fig. 9, thegates are held closed, but that shifting of the load to a line connectedat 92 will rotate bellcrank and, through links 94 depress the handle orthe portions to which the links are connected to open the gates 80, asdescribed, to discharge the contents of the bucket.

It will be apparent that the present invention pro vides means forsupplying or transmitting power to buckets and similar crane lifteddevices for actuation of the parts thereof and that while in theillustrative embodiments given such power is utilized to open and closethe valve of a bucket it is not limited to such use, and for example,could be employed to effect directional rotation of the batfie support41, vibrators and other auxiliary devices, and to provide remote controlof the parts of any device carried by a plurality of independentlypowered hoist lines.

What is claimed is:

1. In a concrete pouring bucket having a discharge opening and valvemeans movable between open and closed position to control the flow ofconcrete through said opening, means to move said valve means to andfrom one of its said positions to the other, means for connecting thebucket to two lifting lines of a crane comprising a bell crank, a pivotshaft rotatably connecting the bell crank to the bucket body, means forconnecting said lines one to each arm of the bell crank to rotate thebell crank when the major portion of the lifted weight is transferredfrom one line to the other, a link pivotally connected at one end to thevalve moving means, the other end of the link being pivotally connectedto one arm of the bell crank, said last-mentioned end of the link beingbent to permit its connection to the bell crank to pass from one side tothe other of the axis of said pivot shaft and move said valve movingmeans from valve opening to valve closing position upon rotation of thebell crank, and a spring holding said bent portion of the link againstsaid pivot shaft as a stop to maintain the valve closed when both linesare slacked with the valve in closed position.

2. A concrete pouring bucket as in claim 1, the center of pivotalmovement of the bell crank with respect to the bucket being positionedon the vertical axis of the bucket and the points of attachment of thelifting line tothe bell crank being so positioned that the point ofattachment of that line on which the lifted Weight is imposed is broughtinto the vertical axis of the bucket upon rotation of the bell crank inresponse to the imposition of the lifted weight on that line. i

3. In a concrete pouring bucket having a discharge opening and valvemeans movable between open and closed positions, to control the flow ofconcrete through said opening, means to move said valve means fromeither of its said positions to the other, means for connecting thebucket to two lifting lines of a crane comprising a crank member, apivot shaft rotatably connecting the crank member to the bucket body,means for connecting said lines respectively to said member at pointsspaced radially outwardly from the axis of said pivot shaft and locatedon radii making an angle with each other, a link, a first pivot pinpivotally connecting one end of the link to said valve moving means, asecond pivot pin pivotally connecting the other end of the link to thecrank member at a point spaced from the axis of said pivot shaft, saidsecond pivot pin moving over the side of the pivot shaft remote fromsaid first pivot pin from one side to the other of the common plane inwhich the axes of the pivot shaft and the said first pivot pin lie torespectively open and close the valve when the major portion of thelifted weight is transferred from one line to the other, stop meansdefining the valve closing position of said second pivot pin, and aspring yieldingly holding said second pivot pin in its valve closingposition when both lines are slacked with the valve closed.

4. A concrete pouring bucket as in claim 3 the center of pivotalmovement of the crank member with respect to the bucket being positionedon the vertical axis of the bucket and the points of attachment of thelifting lines to the crank member being so positioned that the point ofattachment of that line on which the lifted weight is imposed is broughtinto the vertical axis of the bucket upon rotation of the bell crank inresponse to the imposition of the lifted weight on that line.

5. A concrete pouring bucket as in claim 3, the said means for movingthe valve means comprising a rod connected to said valve means andmounted in the bucket body for reciprocable movement axially thereof tomove the valve means from either of its said positions to the other.

6. A concrete pouring bucket as in claim 5 including a hub spaced fromthe valve member and through Which said rod extends, a collar fixed tothe rod intermediate said hub and the valve member, the springyieldingly holding the second pivot pin in its valve closing positioncomprising a coiled spring surrounding said rod between said hub andsaid collar and of a length to be compressed therebetween to bias thesecond pivot pin toward stopped position when said second pivot pin ison the valve closing side of said plane.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,593,830 Baker Apr. 22, 1952

